Sparkeltastic

Hi. That is interesting to hear you can register with Ahpra before arriving in Oz. I wasn't sure if you could do that. My friend, who is also an LD nurse has had problems registering with them once she arrived and it's been 9 months and she still isn't registered! She rented a holiday apartment for 10 days upon arriving, then found a rental in an area they liked then found work. It's definitely tricky getting things done in the right order! Good luck. Keep us posted how you go x

Hi Julie, I was wondering if you have lined up any MH nursing work in QLD? I am an LD Nurse so may have to try for MH jobs instead if they'll have me as no LD nursing posts over there! We have 3 children too so I think our initial plan is for me to get the kids settled then after a year or so begin to look for work. Its really interesting reading everybodys plans. x

It seems to depend on individual circumstances how long it all seems to take. Great news you have an Aussie fella, you will have his family for support which will help. We are going to book our medicals once we are assigned a case officer. It's blowing a hoolie outside here in Hilly Northumberland, definitely a time to dream about sunshine and beaches if ever there was one

good luck LisaJ, if you don't try it you will never know! I worry about the big move and missing family and friends but I'd rather try and come back than never know and regret never doing it! Hope it all goes well xx

The story so far....Last week we paid the final application fee to lodge our visa app for a skills nominated 190 visa. In December QLD govt granted us state sponsorship and in 2013 I got my IELTs and ANMAC skills assessment approved. It has been slow but we have 3 young children, we both work, life is busy so we have just taken it one step at a time. Our immigration agents advise we will wait 9-11weeks for a case officer. We still need medicals and police checks but hopefully these will be least problematic and expensive of the whole shebang!!!! Just waiting now! How come your visa is taking so long if you don't mind me asking?

Can I ask if you have been granted your visa yet and when your planning to move? We are hoping for the end of the year. We have schools to think about to so thought we should try to get the kids in at the start of the Australian academic year in January. X

So far we have narrowed down our area to the north of the Gold Coast and south of the Sunshine Coast! Still a huge area but we would like to be within travelling distance of Brisbane but we don't want to live in the city. We would like to be in a town near the coast. It is hard to decide without doing a reccy! It is a few years since we were last there and we can't afford to carry out a research trip and then move. We'll be doing it all in one go!!! :laugh:

Hi Jaclyn, I am a registered nurse too and there are jobs on the Queensland Government website that might be of interest to you. We finally put our visa application into Queensland last week and are now waiting for a case officer, this last push is a bit nerve wracking! Good luck.

Hi Vonny and Andrew. We are hoping to move to QLD too timescale to be decided. We are just waiting for a case officer, medicals and police checks. If we get them sorted we won't be long heading over. We don't have any family there either so it's pretty nerve wracking! And so many places to choose from. We are avid watchers of wanted down under at the mo...lol!

Hi. We used Immigration2oz and they have been good. We paid in instalments at each stage, not all up front. Hope it all works out!

Jaclyn, I have looked at a few schools and they seem to have pre-school attached to them. It depends where you want to live?

Thanks Quoll. I meant begin prep in 2016. Only part time will be fine and better for us in the beginning. Do your children go to school in Oz?

Thank you for the replies. I think QLD has a pre school type year which is called prep? It would be nice for him to go there first before going into school which I think he can begin in 2016? . Also it means I get to spend more time with my last baby before he starts school! I was worried we would land in Dec so the oldest 2 can begin school in Jan and he would have to start straightaway!

Hello folks. I would like to know how old children are when they start school in Queensland and does the academic year begin in September as in the UK? We have completed our final payment for our visas and if successful I am trying to figure out the best time of year to come for the children. My youngest son turns 4yrs in Dec 2015. Thanks :rolleyes:

That's good to know. At least I will have more options once I am there if I can study. Thanks for the info.